The mother of a 9-year-old cheerleader is facing charges for allegedly punching, then taunting, the president of a youth association.

Michelle Rains, of Forsyth County, was arrested on a simple battery charge Aug. 15 for allegedly hitting Nancy Cunningham, president of the Sharon Springs Cheerleading Association on Aug. 1.

North Fulton County news Rains’ attorney, John Valente of Alpharetta, said his client was upset that her 9-year-old had been placed on a squad with girls she didn’t know, who were both younger and less experienced.

Rains had asked to have her daughter transferred to another squad, but went on vacation and missed an e-mail from the clinic organizers agreeing to the move, Valente said.

On Aug. 1, Rains was told it was too late to make a change in squad assignment, he said. The conversation went from “nice to not very nice very quickly,” Valente said.